1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new type of multi-purpose ball expelling apparatus which can be used with repeated operations for the training of baseball fielders, batters and pitchers.
Specifically, the invention provides a new and highly effective portable multi-purpose ball expelling apparatus which can be used with repeated operations for the training of baseball fielders wherein the apparatus expells the baseball out to the players in the field in a variety of different types of balls, such as grounders, fly balls and straight pitches, and the fielder catches the ball and throws it back into the net of the said apparatus where it is again expelled out to the fielder and the process is repeated. In another embodiment, the new apparatus of the invention is used for the training of batters wherein the apparatus expells the baseball out to the batter near his strike zone, the batter hits the ball back into the net of the apparatus where it is again expelled out to the batter and the process is repeated. In a further embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is used for the training of pitchers wherein the apparatus throws the ball out to the pitcher who them pitches the ball back into the net of the apparatus aiming at the strike zone set out on the net of the apparatus, the ball is then recovered and expelled back to the pitcher and the process is repeated.
2. Prior Art
In the game of baseball, one of the most difficult skills to master is that of catching grounders or fly balls that have been hit out into the field. The fielder must learn to judge proper distance and to field the ball while in the proper postion.
In developing these skills, the trainer often has to throw the ball out into the field to simulate the fly ball or to have a batter hit the ball out to the fielder. This procedure becomes very tiresome and time consuming, and there is great need to develop a better way for the training of fielders.
In the game of baseball, another difficult skill to master is that of pitching. The pitcher must learn the various types of pitches, such as fast ball, sinkers, screw balls, etc. and to put such pitches within the strike zone of the batter.
In developing this skill, the pitcher works with a catcher who is behind home plate and catches the ball thrown by the pitcher and then return the ball to the pitcher so that he may try again. This procedure is also very tiresome and time consuming for the catcher, and there is a need to develop a better way for the training of pitchers.
Another difficult skill to be mastered in the game of baseball is that of batting. In this case, the coach or pitcher generally pitches the ball to the batter and takes a practice swing at the ball. This also is very tiresome and time consuming for the pitcher and there has been a great need for the improvement in the procedure for the training of batters.
Various pitch back machines have been developed in the past to help solve some of the above-noted problems, but they have all been deficient in some respects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,953 discloses a pitch back machine for use in tennis practice. This machine is not suitable for use with hard baseballs. It is, for example, not capable or powerful enough to expell the balls for fielding practice. In addition, it is not capable of handling and returning balls which are as hard as the baseballs. Addition of baseballs causes considerable damage to the machine and apparatus. In addition, many of the machines have no speed or variable control over the expelling of the ball so variations in the pitch cannot be obtained.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,504, 4,197,827 and 3,724,437 disclose machines for pitching baseballs but these machines must be hand fed and are very complicated and difficult to adjust.
Furthermore, all such prior known machines are directed to the use of only a single training exercise, and none could be used as a multi-purpose machine for the training of all the skills, such as fielding, pitching and batting. As a result, each team must purchase a great variety of different machines at considerable cost to effect the proper training in all these areas.
It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a new and efficient multi-purpose ball expelling apparatus. It is a further object to provide a new type of ball expelling apparatus for the training of fielders. It is a further object to provide a new ball expelling apparatus for use in training fielders which eliminates the need for batters to hit the fielding ball. It is a further object to provide a ball expelling apparatus for training fielders which can be easily adjusted to give a variety of different types of pitched balls for catching by the fielder. It is a further object to provide a ball expelling apparatus that can be used with all types of hard balls without danger to the equipment. It is a further object to provide a new ball expelling apparatus that can be used for the training of pitchers. It is a further object to provide a ball expelling apparatus that can be used for training pitchers and does not require the use of a catcher to return the pitched balls. It is a further object to provide a new ball expelling apparatus that can be used for the training of batters and does not require the use of a pitcher to throw the ball to the batter. These and other objects will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.